Pedestal drafting table or the like



July 1, 1952 A. s. MURRAY 2,601,993

PEDESTAL DRAFTING TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed March 51, 1949 I Y s Sheets-Sheet 1 53 Fig.3

v 5 14 a/ 13 i I00 1 I /o /2- 7e J 'ilrvzmr Aubrey 5 Murray y 1952 A. s. MURRAY 2,601,998

PEDESTAL DRAFTING TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed March 31, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig] 4 k 2 77 a9 100 8 7a 66 "FBI/t0? Aubrey 5. Murray I A. S. MURRAY PEDESTAL DRAFTING TABLE OR THE LIKE July 1, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 31, 1949 l 0 Q A Aubrey S. Murray Patented July 1, 1952 U N I TED STATE-S OFF-ICE;

' 2,601,998.. PEDESTAL DRAFTING TABLE on THE- LIKE Aubrey S. Murray, Elizabethtbnzilenm Application March31, 1949; Serial Na." 8425,82?

(o1. zeta-:42

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a pedestal drafting table or the like and has--forits primary'object toprovide a working surface which may be tiltedz":

to various different angles tilted position.

Another obj ec-tis -to -enable the working surand locked in its face to be-raisedor lowered according to the" desires of the user.

A furtherobject isto facilitate the trans'pore tation-and handlin'gzof drafting tables 'or theilikep and to employ a suitable hydraulic fluid as the: raising and lowering medium;and' at the same time as a ballast for the-baseof the table.

Still another object is to provide anwinfinitex number of height adjustments within :therange... of the device, andalso to enable the working sure-q.

face of the table to be tilted to' an infiniteinum-a'. her of positions so thatthe.usermaysupporthis work at the most convenientxangle;

A still further. and .more' specific. object eiszlto.

lock the tableat the desired height, and in .the' J desired positionand at the same time'prevent the 1 table supporting column from being elevated beyond a predetermined height above the'floorxor;

base of the table.

The aboveand other' objects may be: attained" by employing this invention? which embodies?- among its features a hollow'base adaptedto' con; tain an incompressible liquid'suchasth'at enrployed' inthe conventionalbraking system of: a

motor vehicle; a tubular standard rising from the base-and communicating with the interior thereof, a tubular column mounted toslide vertically. f

in the standard; a table supporting member carried by the upper end of thetubular column, a

table on said table supportiand-lift means within;

the tubular column and engaging the underside of the table support to elevate said table sup port and the table thereon along with the tubularcolumn when fluid isforced' from the base-intosaid elevating means.

Other features include a pump mounted within the base and actuated from the exterior thereoffor introducing fluid from'the base into'the -ele vating means, a valve connected with the ele--.:

vating means and communicating with the -in-' terior of the base for returning the liquid pumped 2 into the elevating means to the base when it is desired to lower the table, and means operable'i through the hollow base for controlling-the valve?- Still other features includea substantially spherical socket forming the-table-support; a substantially spherical head-seatedin saidsoc-ket- 1 for universal movement, a clamping -ring -'en=-- circling the spherical head and carried by the socket yieldin'gly to-"engagethe head and clamp it invarious adjusted'positionsin the socket, and

means"- carried'--by--the head andcoupled to the tabletop by whichthe' clamping ring may be re- "leasedfromclamping engagement with the head.-

In the drawings: Figure-"1 is -a side viewof a table embodying the -features -of -this= invention; certain portions being broken away m'ore clearly to illustrate ceritain details "of construction;

Figure-2 is a horizontal-"sectional view'taken substantiallyalong-the line2-'2-of Figure 1 Figure'S is a horizontal-sectional-view takensubstahtiallyalongtheline3 -3 of Figure 1; V

substantially along the line '4-"4-of Figure 1;

Figure -5 is -'a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the-line 5-5 of Figure lj- Figure 6 is a fragmentaryenlarged sectional iview-taken substantially"along the line 65- of Figure-5; j

Figure 7 is an enlarged -fragmentary sectional view taken-substantially""along the line-l-lbf Figure 5; a

Figure *8 is an enlarged sectional view through thetable top--supporting socket; the table top I supporting-head being shown partially in section in the socket;--"

Figure 9 i's'a rearview of'the'soeke't illustrated 5 in Figure 8 Figure 1-0 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view takemsubs'tantially alongthe line l0-l 0 of Figurefl, and c Figure -11is a side viewof'a detail of the invention.

Referring to .the drawings in" detail, a base des-' ignatedgenerally "Ill comprises" a bottom- II bottom' I l.-

taching'screws l5 by means of 'which'a cover 18 of'circular form-"is detachably'conn'ected to the upperedge of the -cy1indrical-side wall 12. 3 This cover 1 6 is provided with a centrally located concentric"circular opening H" which lies concentric with relatior'rto the Wall l2; and-weldedor otherwise'fixedtothecover' I6fi'n concentric relation inthe-opening" i's'a tubular standard" l8 carrying adjacent-its upper end-an outwardly extending boss' I 9 having an opening 2 U extending there-- Figure; is a horizontal sectional-view taken I through which also extends through the standard l8 as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 1. Secured in any suitable manner within the standard i8 intermediate its ends is a guide sleeve 2|, and fitted in the upper end of the standard I8 is a guide bushing 22 which is held in place by a radial pin 23 which as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 projects through the opening 26, and is held therein by a cross pin 24. The inner end of the guide pin 23 projects beyond the inner wall of the bushing 22 and is flattened to form a rectangular guide member 25 by means i of which the column to be more fully hereinafter described is held against turning within the standard |8.

Mounted for vertical sliding movement in the guide ring 2| and guide bushing 22 is a tubular column 26 which is provided with an elongated longitudinal groove 21 in which the guide member 25 previously referred to is received. It will thus be seen that the tubular column 26 is mounted for vertical sliding movement within the tubular standard l8 and will form an effective guide for the table carrying socket and head to be more fully hereinafter described. Extending outwardly from the tubular column 26 adjacent its upper ends is a pair of spaced parallel bracket arms 23. Extending transversely between the bracket arms 28 near the outer ends thereof is an axle shaft 29 on which a guide pulley 30 is mounted to rotate. A similar guide pulley 3| of somewhat smaller diameter is mounted to rotate on an axle shaft 32 which is supported by the bracket arms 28 below the shaft 29, and carried by the bracket arms 28 near the column 26 is a pivot pin 33 on which a rock arm 34 is rockably supported. A rocking lever designated generally 35 is mounted on a rock shaft 35 carried by the brackets 28 above the shaft 32 and this rock arm is provided with a substantially horizontally extending arm 3! which is engaged by a lug 38 carried by the rock arm 34, so that upon moving the rock arm, the rock lever 35 will move in a vertical are about the pivot shaft 36. Extending upwardly and angularly from the rock lever 35 is a lever arm 35 which is pierced as at 40 to receive one of the ring supporting studs to be more fully hereinafter described.

Entering the open upper end of the column 26 is the neck 4| of a hemispherical socket 42 which is provided with a hemispherical seat 43 for the head 44 of a table top supporting member designated generally 45. Formed on the socket 42 in a plane with the rim of the hemispherical socket 43 is an outstanding annular flange 46 which is provided at spaced intervals with internally screw-threaded openings 41 for the reception of the threaded ends of outwardly extending studs 48, thepurpose of which will more fully hereinafter appear. As illustrated in the drawings, the rim of the hemispherical seat lies in a plane substantially degrees from the vertical. Formed on the head 44 of the table top support 45 is a radially extending neck 49 which carries adjacent its end remote from the head 44 an outwardly extending annular flange 56 which is provided at spaced points with openings for the reception of attaching screws 5| by means of which a suitable table top 52 is mounted on the table top support 45. Surrounding the head 44 adjacent the flange 46 of the socket 42 is an annular clamping ring 53 which is provided at circumferentially spaced points with openings 54 for the reception of the studs 48, and surrounding each stud 48 is a compression coil spring 55, one

end of which bears on the ring 53 while the opposite end is engaged by a nut 56 which is threaded on its respective stud 48 so as to hold the ring 53 in yielding contact with the head 44. It will thus be seen that frictional contact between the head 44 and the hemispherical seat 43 will be effected, while the ring 53 will be yieldingly held against the head so that relative movement between the head and the socket 42 will be restrained, until such time as the pressure of one of the springs 55 is relieved. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 8, the arm 39 of the lever 35 is engaged beneath a spring 55, so that when the rock arm 34- is moved, in a counter-clockwise direction when viewed in Figure 10, the rock lever 35 will be moved about its rock shaft 36 in a direction to relieve the pressure of the spring engaged by the arm 39 against the ring 53.

In the preferred form of the invention, the spherical head 44 is provided with a groove 51, and the socket 42 is provided with an outwardly extending tubular boss 58 in which a plunger 59 is mounted to reciprocate. This plunger carries at its inner end an inwardly extending blade 60 which enters the groove 51 and serves to hold the head 44, against movement except in a vertical arc. A compression coil spring 6| surrounds the plunger 59 and one end thereof bears on a stop collar 62 which is mounted in the boss 58, so that the blade 60 will be yieldingly urged to enter the slot 51 so long as the plunger is in the position illustrated in Figure 8. In order that the head 44 may be freed within the hemispherical socket 42 to move in other than a vertical arc, the end of the shank 59 remote from the blade 60 is provided with a head 63, the peripheral surface of which is preferably knurled to form a finger-gripping surface, and formed on the shank immediately adjacent the head is a transversely extending rib 54 which is adapted to engage in a transverse slot which extends across the outer end of the boss 58 and the collar 62. The slot 65 is of a width sufiicient to receive the rib 64, so that when the thumb piece 63 is grasped in the fingers and the plunger 59 moved against the effort of the spring 6|, the head 63 may be turned to cause the rib 64 to lie across the groove 65 and hold the blade 60 out of the groove 51 in the head 44. In this way, the head 44 may be moved universally upon releasing the pressure on the clamp ring 53. As illustrated in Figure 8, the neck 4| of the hemispherical socket 42 is provided with an axial recess 66 which opens through the outer end of the neck 4| for the reception of the elevating cylinder to be more fully hereinafter described.

Welded or otherwise fixed to the bottom I l of the base H] in axial alignment with the column 26 is a fitting 98 which is provided in its upper face with a vertically extending internally screwthreaded bore 61 in which a vertical pipe Inn is threaded. This pipe extends upwardly within the column 26 to a point near the upper end thereof and supported on the pipe adjacent its upper end is a piston 61' of a conventional form. As illustrated in Figure 1, the upper end of the pipe opens through the upper end of the piston, and slidably fitted over the piston is an elevating cylinder 68 into the upper end of which is fitted an end closing plug 69 having a dome-shaped upper surface 16 which engages the inner end of the axial bore 66 in the neck 4| of the spherical socket 42. The plug 69 is secured in the upper end of the elevating cylinder 68 in such a manner as toform a fluid-tight joint so that fluid entering the cylinder through the pipe '4 fifi and con-i 1 fined by the pistonfil willcausethe cylinder. 58 to rise. upwardly; carrying with it the spherical zl. socket lziand the tubular column-2 621 A suitable by-pass port? [is formeduin? the cylinder 88 adjacent its end reinoteirom theplugfie andserves to permit fiuidentering the cylinder throughfihe: 2 pipe I til -to escape and: fall jdownwardly. throughil. the column 26 intowth'e reservoiriformed:.by ;the;;. hollow-base J91 Theldnner? endsoiithe boref 6155 communicates with :a reduced" :bore (52' :whielr opens: into; a :transversetbore deformed" in: fitting 98 which is interrupted intermediate itsix: ends; andhto one side: of the .bore '12 by an wardlyEextending annular =.rib TM forminga seat;:. for'a ball valve i5. A feed pipe ltisnoupled to: I the bore 13: tot. feed liquid; into;.-the here on :the" side of the rib or seat 14 remote'fromthe bore12, i: and a discharge pipe :llcis coupleditozthe:opposJi-tera end of: therbore- -13". A suitable pumpzs'lS :is12 mounted on the bottom? :within; the base .Hl andzr; is provided with an actuating plunger; 19-; which: projects upwardly-through theztop; l-Sofithe bases: 18 and terminateslin a head 353. ,Thetplunger xth-i ofthe'pump 181s normally urged:upwardlysunder the efiort of a compression 'coil spring, 32 11011; tained within the pump and one-:port; 83 of ether, pump :18 opens into the interior-of;the' hollow base iii. A suitableball: valve 84'? :isumounted; 1 within the pump. isnearrthe port 83 to prevent fluid which has entered the pump with the upstroke of the piston 3! from falling back into the base in when the plunger 81' is moved downwardly'against the eiiort of the spring 32: The opposite port 85 of the pump 18 is connected to 35 the feed pipe ifi'so that byreciprocating the plunger. Bl in the pump 78 liquid contained within the hollow base in will be expelledby. the pump. through the pipe 'ifi"and'ihto the pipetiSii pastthe ball valve 752 It will thus be seen that byrmanipulatig the pump, liquid'pressure maybe built within the cylinder 68" above the piston Bl-1, to cause said cylinder to move upwardly'and carrywithdt the hemispherical socket 42 and the column' 26; the latter'servin'g asia guide .WithI- in the guide ring 2! and guide bushing 22 of the standard liitothold the parts'in vertical positions Fitted to theinner surface of the top lsof the hollow base it near the pump 'i8isa valve cylinder 85 having opening thereinto. a pair of-dia- 5 metrically opposed ports 81, one-of which is cou-v pled-through the medium of the discharge-pipe ll'with the pipe Hill. A plunger 88 is mounted to slide within the cylinder 81 and is yieldingly held upwardly under the influence of a compression spring 89. The upper end of the plunger is provided with a shank 90 which projects upwardly through the top It of the base I!) and is equipped with a suitable head 9| by which the plunger 88 may be moved downwardly against the effort of the spring 89. Formed in the plunger 88 intermediate its ends is an annular groove 92 which, when the plunger is depressed, aligns with the ports 81 to establish communication between the pipe Hi8 and the interior of the hollow base [0. It will thus be seen that liquid which has been pumped into the cylinder 63 may be discharged therefrom through the pipe I00, passages I2 and 73, pipe H and ports 8'! into the interior of the hollow base 10, for re-use in elevating the cylinder 68 and its attendant mechanism.

In order to adjust the angularity of the table top 52, a suitable leaf 93 is hingedly connected to the table adjacent its forward edge, and an eye: 94 iis .eouplemtotthertable iini spacedi relationn to the' leaf-.siiiiin iguide 'pulley29 5'iis carried lb the-'leaf93 and:connected-toathereye g ltiisonezenof a control cableILSB whichsextendszaaround: them guide; pulley. i9 5 -::andioverntheupulleys 02 and 3 l 5 The oppositerend; of;:the.- cable: 96 .5is :connected:v to: theend ofathe .rockzarmjliremotezfrormthe bosszs 38, so that;whernpullxisexertedmrr the .cable,::the:.;; rockarm will move tocausethe :rock lever;35 110 ,1- oscillate about the rockxshaft Btfiandmovethem arm 39;in.a directionto.compressithespring 55 beneath ,whichrztheFarm":hasubeenv-.-positioned; .i.. Such rzcompression "Of the: spring 55; "will reliever some of? the pressure onthe; clamp: ring 153% soeasrn to enable the head: to be movedrinthe .hemia spherical seat:43:t0f-the:desiredapositionv Obvi- -y, wi h h p u firxifiiin the:posi-tion 'ShOWHtz: iniFigure' 8, the movement. of. the .head 44 will be;-: confined --to;a vertical' arc andswhe'n :it is :desire to tilt the stable laterallmithe plunger-ma i moved against the, effort -."of :the 1 spring-g6 is andse. rotated; about its longitudinal e-axis u to .cause th e;g endof the stop, member fig r'totrfiit'iOl'lFthBzOUtGYii' end of the boss :58,- --s0 that thevblade:SBwWillt-Jbelw extracted-from the groove 51. Thus: when :ithe

pressure on the.clampiiringszifi isirelieve'd; the. head M may be'moved to tilt-the tablewintoithew desired position, and upon-releasingsthepulrone;

the cable the table top-52ewill-be heldragainst-i further movement until. thepressureof the bring- 53,on-the headd i is again relievedz, V

Inuse; the device, may be transported'with. the liquid in a container: separate.-from.thebasel0, and upon arriving at itszplaceofluse,-onezof-the screws 15 may be removedand the liquid is in troduced into the hollow base. through the-screw: hole 14 after which the -screw'j'is replaced. Upo, introducing the desired. quantity of :liquid: in: the; hollow base ID, the topxlfi isreplacedand uponni reciprocating the .pump, plunger-:18 I' it will; be evi-' dent that fluid will be extractedtfrom the hollow;- baselD andsforced upwardly throughithe pipe; I 60 into I. the -cylinderiz68rabove the -.piston::6!'-. Upon' attaining the, desiredeheight; of the table. 52, rurtherwpumpingais ceased andthe fluid:- will 11 be held in the cylin'derauntilisuch' time asnthe valve plunger 88 is'depressed toualign thegroove? 92 with-:the portsBlx Upon-isostaligmng the groove, the fluid. whi'chzhas'beenipumped intotheir: cylinder 68 will flow "backwardly throughthe'pipei I00 and into the hollow basetm;

Owing to: the fact thatirthehollow-base "10* serves as the" reservoir 1for -the table top elevating fluid, it will be evident that such fluid serves as ballast in weighting the base and thereby steadying the table when the latter is in use.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. In drafting tablesor the like, a substantially hemispherical socket member, said socket member having a hemispherical seat opening thereinto from its upper side, the rim of said seat lying in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a substantially spherical head mounted in said seat for universal movement relative to the socket member, a clamping ring encircling said head adjacent the socket member, studs carried by the socket member and projecting through the invention, what is clamping ring, springs carried by the studs and bearing on said clamping ring yieldingly to urge said clamping ring toward the socket member and into frictional contact with the head and the head against movement in the socket member, and manually actuated means carried by the socket member and engaging one of said springs to compress said one spring and relieve the pressure thereof on the clamping ring to free the head in the socket member.

2. In drafting tables or the like, a substantially hemispherical socket member, said socket member having a hemispherical seat opening thereinto from its upper side, the rim of said seat lying in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a substantially spherical head mounted in said seat for universal movement relative to the socket member, a platform carried by said head for movement therewith, a clamping ring encircling said head adjacent the socket member, studs carried'by the socket member and projecting through the'clamping ring, springs carried by the studs and bearing on said clamping ring yieldingly to urge said clamping ring toward the socket member and into frictional contact with the head and the head against movement in the socket member, means carried by the socket member and engaging one of said springs to compress said one spring and relieve the pressure thereof on the clamping ring to free the head in the socket member and manually actuated means carried by the platform and connected to said spring engaging means to relieve the pressure of said spring on the clamping ring.

3. In drafting tables or the like, a substantially hemispherical socket member, said socket member having a hemispherical seat opening thereinto from its upper-side, the rim of said seat lying in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a substantially spherical head mounted in said seat for universal movement relative to the socket member, a platform carried by said head for movement therewith, a clamping ring encircling said head adjacent the socket member, studs carried by the socket member an'dprojecting. through the clampingring, springs carried by the studs and bearing on said clamping ring yieldingly to urge said clamping ring toward the socket member and into frictional contact with the head and the head against movement in the socket member, a lever pivotally carried by the socket member and engaging one of said springs to compress said one spring and. relieve the pressure thereof on the clamping ring, and means carried by the platform and connected to said lever to actuate the lever and relieve the pressure of said spring on the clamping ring.

4. In drafting tables or the like, a substantially hemispherical socket member, said socket member having a hemispherical seat opening thereinto from its upper side, the rim of said seat lying in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a substantially spherical head mounted in said seat for universal movement relative to the socket member, a platform carried by said head for movement therewith, a clamping ring encircling said head adjacent the socket member, studs carried by the socket member and projecting through the clamping ring, springs carried by the studs and bearing on said clamping ring yieldingly to urge said clampin ring toward the socket member and into frictional contact with the head and the head against movement in the socket member, a lever pivotally carried by the socket member and engaging one of said springs to compress said one spring and relieve the pressure thereof on the clamping ring, a leaf pivotally carried by the platform remote from the head, a flexible member connected to the leaf and to the lever for moving said lever and compressing the spring when the leaf is moved to exert pull on the flexible member.

AUBREY S. MURRAY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 206,393 Ellinger July 30, 1878 656,256 Leisenring Aug. 21, 1900 743,508 Hornung, Jr Nov. 10, 1903 986,451 Franks Mar. 14, 1911 1,346,586 Barber July 13, 1920 1,401,075 Hartwig Dec. 20, 1921 1,529,022 Fraser Mar. 10, 1925 1,792,209 Allison Feb. 10, 1931 1,860,713 Schwarzkope May 26, 1931 2,028,905 Hein Jan. 28, 1936 2,132,636 Thoman et al Oct. 4, 1938 2,217,783 Bell Oct. 15, 1940 2,354,937 Barker Aug. 1, 1944 2,412,414 Mueller Dec. 10, 1946 2,434,949 Muller Jan. 27, 1948 

